Former Pittsburgh Steelers star running back Le’Veon Bell was arrested over the weekend in Canton, Ohio, on a child support warrant, with authorities alleging he owes more than $50,000 in unpaid payments. Bell was at an autograph signing at Belden Village Mall in Canton when he was taken into custody by the Jackson Township Police Department and booked into the Stark County Jail as a “courtesy hold for another agency”. The warrant stems from Michigan, where the child in question resides, and the Michigan Attorney General’s office is handling the case.
Bell’s attorney, Thomas Shaffer, said the former running back is struggling to meet child support obligations that were based on a healthy NFL salary he hasn’t earned in years. He used his entire $50,000 NFL pension earlier this year to cover a portion of his arrears. Bell intends to explain his financial predicament to the judge, but the court will be acutely aware of another massive legal liability: just last year, Bell was ordered to pay $25 million in a default judgment after failing to appear in court for a 2024 sexual abuse lawsuit filed by a family member.
Bell, who was an All-Pro three times with the Steelers, last played in the NFL in 2021. His career never recovered after his decision to sit out the entire 2018 season in a contract dispute . Since then, he has shifted his focus to streaming and social media. A hearing is expected soon, where Bell will have to answer for both his child support arrears and his broader financial troubles.
